~ Conversations on blankets, bottles, and building the kingdom.

The End of the World

I recently read several of the gloom and doom passages in the scriptures. I read about the destruction before the First Coming of Jesus Christ in 3 Nephi, and then the prophecy of the destruction before the Second Coming in Matthew 24.

Scary stuff.

Especially since now I have two little people I love dearly. They couldn’t take care of themselves in a disaster. If my husband was gone when it happened, it would be up to me to carry both of them around plus all their supplies and food and diapers. It would be up to me to keep them together, warm, fed, hydrated, and clean. All while dodging falling buildings and torrents of water and looters and other probably imaginary dangers.

I recognize that this is an irrational fear. With irrational fears, it helps to determine exactly what you are afraid of, and then take steps to protect yourself or decide to be brave or whatever. The first part of the Second Coming is physical danger related to the end of the world, the second is spiritual danger. With physical danger, you just prepare. So, “If ye are prepared ye shall not fear.” You get your water, your three day/ three month supply, your candles and flashlights, you learn about first aid, you gather your important documents, your contact numbers, your financial information, and you make friends with your neighbors. I can prepare as much for that as I want.

As for spiritual danger, I can prepare as much as I want for that too. I protect my family against spiritual danger every time we say our prayers, read our scriptures, follow the prophet, go to church, and serve others. But this isn’t the end of the spiritual preparation. I have to prepare my heart for the End of the World.

What is the End of the World? That phrase stuck out to me in one of my gloom and doom passages. But I understood it as not the End of the planet Earth, but the end of worldly things. I might lose my house, my wonderful new kitchen, my new desk and chairs, my new sofa set, all my daughters toys and clothes. All those things are worldly things and I could indeed lose them.

The solution is to set my heart on the correct things. “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” My treasures should be my God, my husband and my children. I will never lose those. Even in the End of Worldly Things, I can never lose what is most important to me.

My name is Holly.

I graduated from BYU in elementary education. Now I teach three students, my preschooler daughter and my toddling son, and my infant son. I'm passionate about motherhood, family history, and building the kingdom. Allow me to share my thoughts with you!